Uzbekistan is developing a systematic approach to green construction based on a combination of the national taxonomy and international certification standards. This article examines which buildings are considered green, how the taxonomy works, and the role EDGE plays in confirming energy efficiency and attracting financing.
In recent years, Uzbekistan has seen steady development in green construction and a consistent increase in attention to energy efficiency in the construction sector. This is demonstrated by the growing number of buildings certified under international green standards, as well as rising demand for energy surveys and energy audits. At the same time, the industry’s continued systematic development fundamentally depends on a clear and consistent understanding of exactly what constitutes a green building in the national context.
To this end, Uzbekistan adopted the National Green Economy Taxonomy in 2023, a regulatory document defining the criteria for classifying projects and activities as green, meaning those with a comparatively lower environmental impact. The taxonomy is intended to establish a unified approach for the government, businesses, and the financial sector, as well as ensure comparability among projects.
The National Green Taxonomy covers several categories affecting different sectors of the economy. In the context of the construction industry, Category 7, “Green Buildings,” is key. Under this category, buildings and infrastructure facilities may be classified as green if they hold international sustainable-construction certificates such as LEED, EDGE, BREEAM or DGNB, or if a high level of energy efficiency has been confirmed in accordance with national standards.
At the same time, the taxonomy serves as a framework and does not detail the specific features of each certification system, leaving market participants to choose a particular instrument. This approach makes it possible to account for the diversity of international standards and adapt their application to national conditions while considering investor interests and the specific characteristics of each individual project.
The principal measures proposed under the Green Buildings category include improving the energy efficiency of buildings and engineering equipment, using water resources responsibly, and reducing the share of materials whose production is highly energy-intensive. These areas largely correlate with the requirements of the EDGE standard, which was developed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and focuses on achieving measurable improvements in key indicators: energy, water, and materials. At the same time, other international certification systems cover a broader range of aspects related to the environmental and social impacts of buildings.
When examining the alignment between the National Green Taxonomy and international standards using EDGE as an example, several methodological differences can be identified. For private homes and adjacent areas, the taxonomy provides for a reduction in energy and water consumption of at least 15% during construction or modernization. However, the document does not establish a unified methodology for determining the baseline against which such reductions are calculated. In practice, this means additional assessment tools must be used, particularly given that the initial energy and water efficiency of buildings can vary substantially.
The EDGE standard addresses this issue by using what are known as baseline scenarios, developed separately for each country and region. These scenarios reflect the average characteristics of buildings and are created based on an analysis of actual construction practices, while also taking climate data into account. Such baseline indicators have already been developed for Uzbekistan and are used in calculations. EDGE requires a reduction of at least 20% in energy and water consumption, as well as a reduction of at least 20% in a building’s carbon footprint compared with the relevant baseline scenario.
Thus, if a building already demonstrates performance exceeding EDGE’s minimum requirements, it may be recognized as green without the need for additional measures. HPBS has experience certifying existing buildings, including those constructed during the Soviet period and earlier, that confirmed compliance with EDGE requirements without modernization work.
The approach to construction materials deserves particular attention. The national taxonomy indicates the need to minimize the share of materials whose production is highly energy-intensive, citing steel and cement as examples. This approach establishes a general direction for reducing resource burdens, but in practice requires more precise assessment methods. In particular, high energy consumption in material production does not always directly mean a high carbon footprint, because the energy used may come from renewable sources.
Within EDGE, this issue is considered through an assessment of carbon emissions generated during the production and delivery of construction materials. The standard establishes a clear target: the building’s cumulative carbon footprint must be reduced by at least 20% compared with the baseline scenario. This makes it possible to account for the life cycle of materials and their actual climate impact.
It is important to note that in this case the National Green Taxonomy and EDGE address different but complementary tasks. The taxonomy is more focused on establishing framework criteria and reducing resource consumption, while EDGE focuses on quantitatively measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. In the context of sustainable development, these approaches do not oppose one another, but should be applied in parallel.
It should also be taken into account that EDGE is one of the most practical and relatively straightforward systems among the green-building standards listed in the taxonomy. In addition to energy, water, and materials, other international systems devote significant attention to aspects such as building location, transport accessibility, the quality of the urban environment, biodiversity conservation, and the management of construction and operational waste. All these issues are also reflected in the National Green Taxonomy, but are distributed among different categories rather than concentrated exclusively in the Green Buildings section.
HPBS’s experience supporting more than 50 projects under the EDGE standard, as well as other green-building standards in Uzbekistan and Central Asian countries, shows that combining the National Green Taxonomy with international certification systems makes it possible to establish a more transparent and understandable framework for clients, designers, and investors. The taxonomy establishes the strategic framework and government priorities, while EDGE and other standards serve as practical tools for implementing these priorities at the level of specific projects.
Although the taxonomy’s wording is largely general, the very fact that it includes a broad range of factors—from energy efficiency and water conservation to transport, infrastructure, and waste management—reflects an effort to comprehensively cover all key elements of the green economy. This creates a foundation for the continued development of sustainable construction in Uzbekistan and the gradual alignment of national requirements with international practice.
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